The Winding Path
by Peonyqt1004
Summary: Trouble is brewing in Winding Circle. Pirates have came back with some strange magic that confounds the teachers. Only the gang, with their strange magic, can go against this threat. The true horrors of magic and war begin. B/T
1. Default Chapter

Title: "A Winding Path"  
  
Author: peonyqt1004  
  
Summary: Trouble is brewing at Winding Circle, and all of the members of the regular gang must come together to fight this new threat. Kent and Glaki to join Tris in her fight. There is something strange going on. Is there a new magic that is unheard of in the magic world? Whatever it is, it is destroying Winding circle, and even the techers powers are almost helpless against it. Only the students could do something. Their power, made stronger by their magic bleeding into each other, may be their only hope. Kent learns the true horrors of war and magic... and realizes there might be something more between him and his teacher as he struggles to find his path in life... Tris on the other hand, might be facing something that may be beyond her reach... Briar, Sandry, and Daja, along with their apprentice, goes along to try to stop the threat, before it wipes out all of mage and human kind. A bit of T/K coupling, and a little B/T. There is strong evidence of P/S though. =) (I'm not sure whether this story should be B/T or T/K cuz they both are such a sweet couple =P Tell me in your reviews!)  
  
"Winds of Trouble"  
  
A slightly chubby short red haired girl with a strong stubborn face set with large cynical gray eyes stared around the island for a long time. Actually, she wasn't looking around. Her specs were tucked away safely behind her sensible gray sash around her waist and her eyes stared out wide and unseeing out towards the ocean. She was wind scrying.  
  
After months of practice Tris has become quite the expert at scrying. It was a bit irritating to have colors floating around you... But it did help catch that yellow sash yakedasu killer. Nothing really important happened over her period of time there. Little by little, Tharios's prathmuni's came back... There has been some change in their law, allowing better conditions for prathmuni's. Life was getting better.   
  
'It could be a lot better if not for those citizens ignorance.' She thought haughtily. Using her magic like hooks, she hooked the image of a strange ship not too far from the island which quickly dissappeared into the horizon.   
  
"TRIS!"  
  
There was a sharp pain at her ear. Tris yelped in pain, a scowl covering her features.  
  
"What is it?!" Blood dripped fown from her ear. "Didn't I tell you not to use Chime to rouse me? Do you want me to wake your lazy behind up in the morning with the same method?" Tris threatened. Kent smiled good naturdely. "Sorry o' great mighty teacher! But it is past midday and I thought you might want to eat something instead of staring out into nowhere?" Tris grunted, she was a bit hungry. She realized how sweaty she was when she stumbled a bit before going up the stone steps toward Kent. Her red braids stuck to her face like wood dust does to wood glue. Chime, the beautiful glass dragon, swooped to her companion and chinked out her apologizes.  
  
"No apologizes now Chime." Tris said glumly. But her hands went up to stroke the living glass beauty. Chime purred. Kent caught Tris before she collapsed on the floor completely.  
  
"Stop dawdling and get me a cup of cold water!" Tris snapped irritatedly as she sat down heavily on a wooden stoop. With a mock salute, Kent was off, whistling. Although Tris's voice was harsh, her gray eyes gentled a bit as she watched him leave.  
  
'A few months and everything has changed.' Tris thought wistfully. Fumbling for her specs, she squashed it onto her long nose and proceeded to drag some breezes around her to cool herself off. The complained a bit, but they came to her and swirled around her. Tris sighed and let the breezes soak into her hair.  
  
'My mage kit.' She thought. 'But of course, no one really believes me...' Sighing, Tris decided to ponder about the few things that had happed since her arrival here after the killer problem in Tharios. Kent was able to do what he loved most... Glass blowing. He studied some investigating magic and caught 4 more crimes since... about 4 months. 'Kent's glass tracking devices were a hit.' Tris thought ruefully. 'Demas loved them.' Then she thought about Glaki. Glaki was an outstanding student. Tris smiled. The girls discipline was great. Glaki has come a long way... and she was forgetting some of the old hurts she had gotten.  
  
'But she wont forget them entirely.' Tris thought sadly. 'No one can.'  
  
Her thoughts were interuppted with Kent bringing her a cup of fresh water. Thirstily she drank the liquid. Sighing with a strange contentment, she wobbled to her feet. She winced. She had pushed too hard with her practice with wind scrying. She shouldn't try to expand her powers so much next time.  
  
The broad shouldered sprightly man with blonde hair and blue eyes smiled at Tris. "You've over done it Tris!" He said crowingly. Tris shot him a nasty look and fingered her braid, his face turned slightly paler. Smirking, Tris opened the door to the study... and was greeted by her teacher who regarded her with his deek dark eyes.  
  
"Tris, you should'nt push yourself too hard." Niko remarked. He got up, his royal blue tunic swishing... his handsome black breeches matching the dark shade of blue. However, there was a harried look in his eyes.  
  
"I wasn't pushing myself too hard." Tris retorteded, turning a critical eye on her teacher. "But *you* look worse for the wear." Niko looked at her, looking down at her with his sharp nose. "It seems as if you know me too well." Niko muttered, but his eyes were kind. Kent suddenly butted in, suddenly brave enough to ask the question he had been meaning to ask for a long while.  
  
"What *has* Tris been doing up there?"  
  
Tris glared at him.  
  
"Wind scrying." Niko replied absently. Niko ended the question quickly with an urgent look to Tris. "We need to talk now Tris. There might be some changes... to our schedule." Tris looked up sharply, her keen gray eyes hearing the slightly desperate sound to his voice. She nodded and walked in. She stopped and told Chime to shoo as she followed her teacher into a room.  
  
~Kent~  
  
'I guess it means no entry for me..' Kent thought gloomily. He sighed a bit and smiled as Chime came over to him and purred as she rubbed her smooth glass head against his face. There was a few yelps and a large dog, with the energy of that of a frisky puppy, bounded in with a giggling Glaki. Glaki's face was no longer thing, but round and happy without that lonely haunted look. Her dark brown eyes searched for a certain red head...  
  
"She's talking with Niko." Kent said softly. The girls eyes lit up brightly as she bounded to Kent, her curls bouncing. "I wanted to show Tris something new I learned today!" Glaki said, chattering eagerly. Clapping and drawing a symbol in thin air, and small lightining balls flew about the room as Chime, startled by the little flames, started chasing them. Little Bear lunged behind a chair and stayed there, shaking. However, the fireballs went a bit awry and started to move around the room in a faster speed.  
  
"Uh oh." Glaki said softly as her large luminous amber eyes turned large as the balls of fire started to go toward Little Bears waggling rump...  
  
There was a sudden clap and the flames dispersed and dissappeared. Tris emerged from the room, fire sparking from her gray eyes.  
  
"You almost stinged innocent Little Bears behind!"  
  
Glaki drooped, looking guilty. Tris sighed and a slight smile graced her stern lips. "It would've been funny though." Tris said reassuringly to the girl whose eyes were starting to glisten with tears. Kent snorted. Niko emerged with a stern look.   
  
"I'll see you later Tris." He said softly as he left. Tris looked a bit peturbed.  
  
"You're worried about something aren't you?" Kent asked softly, his baby blue eyes softening.  
  
"Hmm..." Was his only answer. Her gray eyes were fixed on the floor...  
  
Then she spoke.  
  
"Kent, I'm giving you a disicion now. You learned control and all the important basics from me. Do you think you need me anymore?" Kent looekd confused. "Why?" Tris sighed. She changed the subject... slightly.  
  
"I'm turning 15 tommorow." She said tartly. "So?" Kent said confusedly. Tris laughed softly. "So... me being 15 and you being 20 doesn't mean anything? So you finally respect me..." But a smile didn't grace her face. Her lips thinned. "I'm afraid..." Tris said softly. "For your safety." Kent gwuaffed.  
  
"MY safety?" He asked, slightly amused. But something in Tris's eyes sold him that something WAS the matter.  
  
"If you follow me..." Her voice was very serious. "Then you might have to face something you should'nt face. Glaki should'nt face it either..." Then Tris smiled ruefully. "Plus, you're going to meet my brother and sisters if you come along."  
  
"Mirthos help me." Kent said in mock horror as he mocked fright by making the sign of the goddess of protection.  
  
"I'm going back to Winding circle." Tris said adruptly. "Take Glaki with you and stay here. I might come back..."  
  
But the might sounded very weak.  
  
"What is it?" Kent asked sharply.  
  
"It's pirates Kent." Tris said softly, her gray eyes meeting Kent's blue ones. "So? You made them run with their tails between their legs long ago..." "It's diffrent." Tris said, interuppting him. Taking a deep breathe Tris faced him. "Mages are dying from creatures made from some unknown source... the pirates... might win this time. I must go back..." She said softly, so Glaki can't hear. "Stay, you are not part of this... This was my home. That is why I must go back and protect them..." Tris patted his shoulder lightly. "But I did make a good teacher." She said a bit louder. "But stay well. I hope Mirthos blesses you." Turning, she left the room... Leaving Kent with a descion...  
  
~Niko~  
  
Niko could see the future. His scrying brought images that no normal man should see...  
  
There was some strange creature... It's body strangely immune to much of the powers used against it... Roaring... It's body, which reselmbled that of a lizards, crashing through the invisible spelled chains outside of the gate... Frostpine has spelled them strongly, but the creature was powerful... Magic fell and crumbled... little by little it gave away... the creature dissappeared. There was a strange high pitched voice... It sang a strange verse in a language unknown to him...  
  
Hiplisbell...  
  
Hiplisbell...  
  
Destructo Maulin haroomellair.  
  
Fireora...  
  
The voice was the sweetest he had ever heard... but from the voice, something developed in the sky...  
  
It was raining fire.  
  
The voice glowed with magic... The magic had no shape or form and moved and shifted beneathe Niko's critical eye...   
  
It was as if the magic itself was unsure of what it was...  
  
Then the chain blew up and the dark figure collapsed. The voice was cut short as ships flooded into the break...  
  
He heard the sound of crying. Then it started to rain. A tall large figure grabbed the small dark figure up with one arm and slapped the figure. The sobs died off and turned into a frightened whimper.  
  
The raining stopped.  
  
The war was beggining.  
  
To be Continued....  
  
A/N: This is Just the prolouge! Thanks for reading and review! Please~! =) The pairing will depend on the first reviewers~! Whichever got most vote will win~ ^^ Though I was thinking about Kent and Tris pairing...  
  
-Peonyqt1004 


	2. Winding Circle

Title: "The Winding Path"  
  
Ch. Title:"Winding Circle"  
  
Author: Peonyqt1004  
  
DISCLAIMER: I do not own any of Tamora Pierce's characters. However, any character I create are mine.  
  
A/N: Based on the reviews I got, I think I'll make this B/T. =) Hope you guys will be satisfied. Remember to Read and Review- and tell me what you think! Hey- Lots of Thanks to Time-stitch and Mage Gurl 05~ Hope you will finish reading this story! O, btw, you were right, it's Keth not Kent. It was a mistake. A mistake I won't make again. -.-;  
  
-Peonyqt1004  
  
-----------------  
  
Meanings:  
  
*...* For emphasize.  
  
~...~ Indicates the character we are exploring.  
  
-...- Is used when Briar, Tris, Sandry, and Daja speak telepathically.  
  
'...' Thought.  
  
"..." What they are saying.  
  
... Where they are.  
  
/.../ Indicates place.  
  
------------------  
  
A tall blonde haired man in his young twenties was lying on his back, staring at the ceiling. His left fingers, the pinky and the ring finger, still slightly curled up from the last lightning attack, twitched slightly as he was deep in thought. He didn't get enough sleep and lightening twitch about his body.  
  
'Should I stay? My life is good here so far, with my skill with seeing the future, I think it would be no need to actually go with her.¡¯  
  
Then he sighed. Something didn't feel right about leaving Tris. It's only been 4 months and he was bonding with her. 'Pirates...' He thought scornfully. He heard a slight sniffle and he turned and looked at Glaki. She was crying. Worry filled his blue eyes as he came over to her to hug her. Her two dolls were put aside carelessly.  
  
"What's the matter Glaki?" He asked, soothingly. "She's leaving me." Glaki said with a thin tiny voice. Her large brown eyes were a sea of tears. "Like how Ma left me... and aunt Yali..." "Shush." Keth said sharply. "She isn't leaving you. She's worried for you." Glaki shook her head, her curls bouncing from side to side as her little full lips were pursed out into a sad frown.  
  
"She's leaving me..."  
  
"No I'm not." A sharp voice said suddenly, surprising both Keth and Glaki.  
  
The short chubby mage with her stern gray eyes looked at them. "Glaki, I would never leave you..." Her voice had softened. "But this situation... it's just not worth your life and Keth's." Glaki wiped her tears with her small hands. "I'll go with you!" The child cried out. "I'll help you battle those pirate and.. and..." Tris gave her a reprimanding look. "Your life won't be snuffed out because of my bad decision." She replied. Glaki's chin stuck out stubbornly, but no word escaped from her lips as she stared at Tris with longing in her eyes.   
  
Tris turned around and swallowed hard. Looking at Glaki reminded her of her past too much for comfort. She understood the girl£§s need for someone constant in her life. Tris hated to break the vow she had made with herself but from the looks of it... The pirates were very deadly... They would probably use Glaki and make her a slave. She didn't want that. She faced Keth, she tried to tamp down her sadness as she looked at her "Student".  
  
"Did you make your decision?" She asked softly. "You can return home, your skills are very... toned... And you can become what you want to be--."  
  
"I'm going with you." Keth said suddenly, his eyes were steady. Tris glared at him. "I won't be responsible for your death!" Tris cried out. "I don't want to feel guilty if you die." Keth retorted. "Glaki should come." He said abruptly. Glaki's eyes brightened. Tris groaned. "You are making the worse decision of your life." Tris muttered. "I'm leaving now anyways." Tris said softly. "I don't have much to pack... The ships leaving in a few minutes..."  
  
"I don't have much to pack either, and neither does Glaki." Keth said stubbornly. His blue eyes glinted dangerously. "Your matter is my matter, if you want to fight them, I'll do it by your side." Tris gave up, which was quite unusual of her. "Fine." She said wearily. "But Glaki--." Glaki lept up, a bag under her arm. "I already packed up." She said cheerfully, holding her two dolls carefully under each arm. "I was ready." Tris looked at her wearily. "Fine." Tris whispered, and she left.  
  
/Winding Circle/  
  
Briar and Eevy were the first to arrive.   
  
They arrived by boat a few days before the pirates actually got into the ports... and they just barely managed to escape the pirates clutches.  
  
Briar was in much pain... Fire still burned everywhere. In the woodshop and with his plants. He forced his green magic into the plants to help them regenerate, but the pain itself was almost unbearable. Eevy's eyes were wide open. "Oh Briar!" The usually sassy girl said fearfully. "They're coming in..." Briar grinned as the flames faded off. The water mages were dealing with the fire at the wood shop.   
  
"They won't get far." He said darkly. He removed packets soaked with some evil smelling potion, and trotted towards the shore of their island. The boats were just a few miles away, Eevy and the guards holding the gate looked nervous.   
  
"Hurry." Eevy urged. Briar threw the packets into the soil and dabbed some of his earthy magic into them.  
  
Thorns sprang to life and covered the shores... It's spikes long and lethal.   
  
"Oh no boy, not without me!" A voice said from behind him. It was Rosethorn. Cackling, she drew the plants power around her, sending her magic scurrying so that the kelp in their waters grew with great speed, to clog the ships.  
  
"Good idea." Briar said after a moments pause, Rosethorn smiled, but it was strained. Then they all heard a strange haunting melody. There were no words, just a voice singing a wordless tune... The kelp seemed to part under the influence. Rosethorn shut her eyes quickly and tried to shove the kelp back, but the kelp were entranced by the song and wouldn¡¯t budge. Briar sensed the struggle and sent his power roaring back into the kelp. The kelp hesitated as Briars command struggled with the haunting melody, but the melody stopped as Briar gained control of the kelp, which grew with more intensity and clogged the oars.  
  
But the fight was hard. He was dragged into a pool of darkness.  
  
'If only the girls were here.' He thought as he was hindered unconscious.  
  
/Boat/  
  
It has been a few nights since they had left. Winds flew about her and brought images of no real importance to her.  
  
'I won't go mad.' Tris thought passionately as she scryed the wind for any news from Winding Circle. Driving her magical hooks into a pattern, an image blossomed before her. Little bits of black and white... and blue...  
  
She saw a girl resting on a boat... Magic glowed from her and she looked exhausted. Her face was partially hidden by a large hood poncho. Tris observed the magic shimmering around her weakly... There was something strange about--.  
  
"Tris!"  
  
Someone stepped through the image. In a spiral of color, the image departed. Tris was enraged. "WHAT?!" She yelled angrily. She wanted to look at that one image, but it was lost as Keth walked towards her, a look of concern on his face. "Relax." He said as he brought to her a cup of water, which she drank thirstily with. "You're so tense." He said softly. "Are you wind Scrying?" He asked softly. "I was." She said angrily. "Next time I'll put up a protection shield to keep people like you OUT of my space." However, when she got up, her legs wobbled. Keth looked up into the horizon.   
  
"Niko told me to tell you... We arrived at Summerport, but we can't get in."  
  
"What do you mean?" Tris demanded.  
  
"The pirates are within the gates, they're already attacking."  
  
~Pirates~  
  
A girl rested on a ship, looking exhausted and pale. "Come on girl!" A tall dark man snapped. "Paint! Music! Anything! We're losing!" The girl shook her head, leaning limply against the wall. The dark man seemed frustrated. "You better get better quick girl." He said with a threatening voice. "Or your sorry liasu family are going to go to hell!" The girl stifled a sob. "Please don't!" She said pleadingly. "I don't know why but it's not working!" The pirate growled. "Go to Mage Witherspoon, He'll teach you better." The dark man grabbed the girl by the back of her hood and dragged her upwards and shoved her. The girl collapsed after a few seconds of swaying on her feet. The pirate cursed. "Tell our boss to pull back!" He yelled. The message spread like wildfire as they pulled back away from the raging mages.  
  
~Tris~  
  
"Look they're pulling back!" Tris said with excited frenzy as she pointed at the pirate ships. Niko told her to hush. He had put an invisibility spell on the boat so they might try to get into the place unseen. Tris was impatient. Lightning fizzled around her face. Keth was a sickly color of green. "I want to hurt them!" Tris growled, fingering her braids.  
  
-Briar!-  
  
She tried to call her brother with her magical link.  
  
'Tris!- Came a very surprised voice.   
  
-I didn't even sense you were here!- Briar said, his voice feeling like moss, smelling like the sweet smell of plants and greens.  
  
-I can sense your magic.- Tris said bluntly. -Your magic is waning a bit and you ARE preoccupied.-  
  
She heard a snort.  
  
-Where are you now? We need help, quick!-  
  
-They're pulling back Briar, give it a rest.- Tris answered quickly.   
  
-Are the others with you?- He asked?  
  
-What do YOU think?- A faint voice asked with a tint of sarcasm. It was Daja.  
  
-Daja?!- Both Briar and Tris chorused.  
  
The metallic taste of her magic and the faint metallic ring to her voice made it evident. It was their adopted sister, the metal mage.  
  
-Who else? Is Sandry there? I'm just outside the gate... The links of magic were smashed to bits.- There was a hint of fear in her voice.  
  
-I'm not near Winding circle yet.- Came a sweet but very faint voice. It was Sandry. Her magic felt like silk and smelled like warm cotton.  
  
-Well, I don't think I can get in yet.- Tris said with disappointment in your voice.  
  
"Tris!" Came an urgent whisper. Tris turned around and frowned. It was Keth. "Oh." Tris said out loud. "What are you doing?" Keth asked, question in his eye. "Talking to my brothers and sisters." She replied. Keth turned white. "They're coming?" He asked with a squeak. "I warned you before didn't I?" Tris said.   
  
~Daja~  
  
Daja stared at the links in shock. These shattered pieces of magic and metal were what both Frostpine and she had worked on. It was broken.   
  
"How did they get past the illusions?" Daja asked, amazed.  
  
"I have no idea." Frostpine replied, his dark face looking tense as he touched a fragment of it. The metal cried out in pain.   
  
  
  
"Whatever it was." Daja said as she made the sign of the all-protecting goddess with her hands, "I don't want to find out."  
  
"Well you have no choice." Frostpine said with a soft voice. "Because we're here."  
  
~Briar~  
  
Tris's voice sounded like the wind, water, lightning, and rocks grating. Almost like Evvey. Evvey looked at her teacher expectantly. "Briar! They're heading back!" "I know." Briar replied. "Tell Rosethorn that the girls are here." Evvey nodded. "Sure!" She replied as she scampered off.  
  
Tris held Chime in her arms while stroking Little Bears head.   
  
-Briar.- She called.  
  
-What?- He replied.  
  
-How are we going in?-  
  
-Go to the back of the Winding circle, we will find a way to let you in. Actually, I think Niko is onto something. He'll know. Just rest. Our teachers know everything.-  
  
-Not everything.- Tris replied sleepily.   
  
-Don't be a worry wart.- He snapped.  
  
-How can I not be? I was a merchant£§s daughter.- She replied testily. She could feel him smile.  
  
-Whatever Tris, just make it in safely. Daja is coming in.-  
  
  
  
~Pirate~  
  
A broad shouldered man with a large built and overly large bottom lip stood at the tip of his ship. 'Soon Winding Circles riches will be mine.' He thought with a sneer. 'My little Roilana will be my way through.' He smiled. He had the child in his grasp. The child who will help him get whatever he wanted.  
  
'Those legendary children with outstanding power will be my slaves.' He thought as a smile graced his unseemly face. On his finger was a ring. It glowed a demonic shade of red before blinking out.  
  
'I have her word and her bond. I have her family and her life at my hands. ' He touched the ring lightly. A glimmer of red light shone on all the magical string floating around him... They were bonds with the other slave mages he had in his boat. But none were as precious as his little Roilana. A smile grew on his lips.  
  
'And Niko.' He added, addressing his old friend.  
  
'We will meet again and we'll talk face to face this time.'  
  
-----To be continued....--------  
  
A/N: Please remember to read and review! =) I hope I brought a smile to your faces~! This is definetly B/T. Poor Keth...  
  
-Peonyqt1004  
  
R AND R! 


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